Salvini must appear in court for blocking migrant ship

Former Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini is due in court for his 2019 decision to stop a ship carrying migrants. The Palermo court ruled today and reports that the first hearing takes place in September.

The leader of the right-wing populist party Lega is accused, among other things, of kidnapping. He illegally prevented migrants from landing on the island of Lampedusa, prosecutors said. Salvini himself speaks of a political process. He is going to trial “with his head held high,” he tweeted.

At the time, 147 migrants were trapped at sea for more than a week. They had been recovered by a ship belonging to the Spanish action group Open Arms. A judge in Rome ruled that Salvini’s decision to keep the boat out, violates international law. After a visit on board, the public prosecutor of Sicily decided that the ship should be confiscated.

15 years in prison

Salvini accused Open Arms of collaborating with human traffickers. Prosecutors say Salvini acted on his own initiative, independent of parliament. He faces a prison sentence of up to 15 years. He could also lose his job as a politician.

Salvini, 48, is currently in the Italian Senate. Last summer the way was opened for the prosecution of Salvini by removing the special protection he enjoyed as a politician from prosecution.